With current drug therapies, most people diagnosed with chronic phase CML can expect to live good-quality lives.

Finding the Best Treatment Approach

The treatment your doctor recommends is based on several factors, including:

The CML phase you're in

Your diagnostic test results

As you develop a treatment plan with your doctor, be sure to discuss:

The results you can expect from treatment

The possibility of participating in a clinical trial, where you'll have access to advanced medical treatment that may be more beneficial to you than standard treatment

Potential side effects, including long-term and late effects

You may find it helpful to bring a loved one with you to your doctor's visits for support and to take notes and ask follow-up questions. It's a good idea to prepare questions you'd like to ask when you visit your doctor. You can also record your conversations with your doctor and listen more closely when you get home.

Other Treatment Considerations

If you're breastfeeding, pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, oral drug therapy puts your baby at risk. You and your doctor must discuss how treatment will adversely affect your baby or pregnancy. If you choose to stop treatment while pregnant, you risk a relapse.

If your cancer isn't controlled by treatment, you'll likely have to try a different treatment approach. See Refractory and Relapsed CML.

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The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada (LLSC) is a voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancers. We provide free information and support services to patients and caregivers. The LLSC mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.